❓ Hon Giz Watson raises concerns about hearing impairment among Aboriginal women in prison and its potential impact on their ability to participate in court proceedings. The Attorney General acknowledges the statistic but states that the court system doesn't collect data on hearing impairments.
AnsweredQoN 5032Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to page 38 of last year’s annual report of the Telethon Speech and Hearing Centre which states that 45 percent of 104 Aboriginal women at Bandyup Women’s Prison did not pass a hearing screening process, and I ask -
(1) Is the Attorney General aware of this statistic?
(2) Has the Attorney General ascertained the proportion of Aboriginal people appearing in court who cannot adequately hear the court proceedings?
(3) If yes to (2) -
(a) how was this assessed;
(b) according to that assessment, what proportion of Aboriginal people appearing in court are unlikely to be able to adequately hear the proceedings; and
(c) what steps have been taken to address this?
(4) If no to (2), will the Attorney General take steps to obtain this information?
(5) If yes to (4), when?
(6) If no to (4), why not?
(7) Does the Attorney General acknowledge that the inability to hear proceedings in court is likely to severely limit a person’s ability to self-represent or to instruct their legal representative during the proceedings?
(1) Is the Attorney General aware of this statistic?
(2) Has the Attorney General ascertained the proportion of Aboriginal people appearing in court who cannot adequately hear the court proceedings?
(3) If yes to (2) -
(a) how was this assessed;
(b) according to that assessment, what proportion of Aboriginal people appearing in court are unlikely to be able to adequately hear the proceedings; and
(c) what steps have been taken to address this?
(4) If no to (2), will the Attorney General take steps to obtain this information?
(5) If yes to (4), when?
(6) If no to (4), why not?
(7) Does the Attorney General acknowledge that the inability to hear proceedings in court is likely to severely limit a person’s ability to self-represent or to instruct their legal representative during the proceedings?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
5 March 2012
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Attorney General
Response time
104 days
(1) Yes
(2) This information is not collected in court case management systems.
(3)(a) Not applicable
(3)(b) Not applicable
(3)(c) Not applicable
(4) No. See part (6).
(5) Not applicable
(6) It is not possible to collect this information retrospectively. The recording of ethnicity and impairments relies on the voluntary disclosure of this information by the court participant. Court case management systems do not allow for the collection of impairment information.
(7) The major courts and tribunals in Western Australiahave hearing loops or hearing augmentation systems or portable hearing equipment to assist hearing impaired persons participate effectively in court. In addition, judicial officers check continually for signs that those appearing before them can participate effectively in the hearing, including hearing impaired persons, and particularly so in the case of self represented persons.
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(2) This information is not collected in court case management systems.
(3)(a) Not applicable
(3)(b) Not applicable
(3)(c) Not applicable
(4) No. See part (6).
(5) Not applicable
(6) It is not possible to collect this information retrospectively. The recording of ethnicity and impairments relies on the voluntary disclosure of this information by the court participant. Court case management systems do not allow for the collection of impairment information.
(7) The major courts and tribunals in Western Australiahave hearing loops or hearing augmentation systems or portable hearing equipment to assist hearing impaired persons participate effectively in court. In addition, judicial officers check continually for signs that those appearing before them can participate effectively in the hearing, including hearing impaired persons, and particularly so in the case of self represented persons.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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